Genesis 42:7

5 And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

6 And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.

And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.

8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.

9 And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
And when Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them as strangers and spoke harshly to them. “Where have you come from?” he asked. “From the land of Canaan,” they replied. “We are here to buy food.”
KJV
And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.
WEB
Joseph saw his brothers, and he recognized them, but acted like a stranger to them, and spoke roughly with them. He said to them, “Where did you come from?” They said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”
ASV
And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly with them; and he said unto them. Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.
DARBY
And Joseph saw his brethren, and knew them; but he made himself strange to them, and spoke roughly to them, and said to them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan, to buy food.
BLB
And Joseph saw his brothers and he recognized them, and he made himself strange to them, and spoke to them harshly. And he said to them, “From where have you⁺ come?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”
ÅB
Da Josef så sine brødre, kjente han dem igjen; men han lot som om de var fremmede for ham, og talte hårdt til dem og sa til dem: Hvor kommer dere fra? De sa: Fra Kana'ans land for å kjøpe korn.
OTB
Da Josef så brødrene sine, kjente han dem igjen, men han forkledde seg og talte hardt til dem. "Hvor kommer dere fra?" spurte han. "Fra Kanaans land," svarte de, "for å kjøpe mat."
B1930
Da Josef så sine brødre, kjente han dem igjen; men han lot som om de var fremmede for ham, og talte hårdt til dem og sa til dem: Hvor kommer I fra? De sa: Fra Kana'ans land for å kjøpe korn.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

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